<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Three Spheres of Stonehenge Affair by Rose_of_Pollux</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25152175">The Three Spheres of Stonehenge Affair</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Pollux/pseuds/Rose_of_Pollux'>Rose_of_Pollux</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Spies and the supernatural [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Supernatural Elements, eventual light crossover with Pokémon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:35:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>18,758</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25152175</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Pollux/pseuds/Rose_of_Pollux</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Napoleon and Illya’s new mission at Stonehenge brings the possibility of portals, wormholes, and inter-dimensional travel, but soon, Waverly and Victor Marton also end up having a personal stake in things, as well.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Illya Kuryakin &amp; Napoleon Solo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Spies and the supernatural [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/563159</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Act A: Harmony Disturbed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Napoleon and Illya had both known that, in their line of work, just about anything could happen; part of their training had been to expect the unexpected.  Needless to say, they were only mildly surprised when Waverly had asked them to meet with him in Amesbury, England, for a new and vital mission.</p><p>“Amesbury…” Napoleon had mused on the way there.  “Isn’t that right where Stonehenge is?”</p><p>“Yes, it’s a few hours from Cambridge – I saw it myself once when I was studying there,” Illya had replied.  “Have you been?”</p><p>“No, but I’ve always thought about going,” Napoleon had admitted.  “But it always turned out that my forays in Jolly Old England were mainly in the cities to rub elbows with the upper class.  But I’ve always had a fascination for ancient times—and the fact that there are so many stories about how Stonehenge was constructed.”</p><p>Illya hadn’t been surprised, and had been proceeding to tease Napoleon about it as they arrived for their meeting with Waverly at the U.N.C.L.E. outpost.  His good mood vanished, however, upon seeing Victor Marton in the chair beside Waverly.</p><p>“What is <i>that</i> one doing here!?” he demanded.</p><p>Ordinarily, Marton would usually retort with a snarky reply, but the Frenchman was clearly too preoccupied with his own thoughts to even acknowledge the Russian’s presence.  That clued Napoleon in to the fact that something serious was going on.</p><p>“Victor is here because he has brought to light a troubling situation that seems to involve the ancient site of Stonehenge near here,” Waverly said.  He turned on a slide projector, displaying the image of a man in a lab coat; Marton was staring determinedly elsewhere.  “This was Professor Lawrence Gelardan – quantum physicist.”</p><p>“Oh?” Illya asked, no longer caring about Marton as the conversation had turned to one of his fields of study.  He paused.  “The name sounds familiar to me; I understand he was doing some work focusing on the Wormhole Theory.”</p><p>“Correct, Mr. Kuryakin.”</p><p>“…I’m guessing we’re not talking about actual worms?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“It’s part of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity,” Illya explained.  “Imagine if this table surface was part of space-time.  Now, if I were to hurl a baseball at the surface of the table…”</p><p>“You’d dent it,” Napoleon said.</p><p>“Correct.  And if I were to hurl a bowling ball at it?”</p><p>“…You’d make one heck of a hole.”</p><p>“Also correct; objects make dents in space-time relative to their mass.  But it is believed that space-time exists as multiple layers, perhaps in multiple folds.  A wormhole could be created if something were able to distort space-time to such an extent that the hole would extend from one surface of space-time to the direct opposite – one you could theoretically travel through to the hole, finding yourself in a place in space-time parallel to our own.”</p><p>Napoleon let out a low whistle.</p><p>“Parallel worlds?”</p><p>“Again, it is all just a theory,” Illya said.</p><p>“It may be more than a theory,” Waverly interjected.  “Victor and I were personal friends of Professor Gelardan, Victor even moreso, on account of him being a fellow Frenchman – after Gelardan’s divorce a few years ago, he found himself in a bit of a financial crisis that the both of us bailed him out of so that he could keep custody of his infant daughter.  But he still needed more funding to continue with his research, and though I disapproved strongly, Victor offered him funding through THRUSH – I assume, in exchange for first access to anything valuable the professor might have discovered.  Naturally, funding from THRUSH comes with risks of its own…”</p><p>“You were right, of course, Alexander; I should never have brought it up,” Marton sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose.  “But he was eager to continue with his research, and I suppose he assumed that if THRUSH gave him any trouble, I would handle the matter personally.  And I tried; it worked until recently, when the professor made such a sudden advancement in his discovery that it attracted the attention of others beyond THRUSH, and THRUSH considered him a flight risk.”</p><p>“Victor believes that Gelardan succeeded in opening a wormhole, right within the area of Stonehenge, resulting in three objects from a parallel world, as Mr. Solo put it, falling to Stonehenge,” Waverly continued.  “However, the ancient history of Stonehenge has gotten it a reputation as place of… for lack of a better term, magical happenings, and there are groups who firmly believe in the magical powers of Stonehenge.”</p><p>“There are powers beyond the realm of mortal understanding at work, Alexander,” Marton countered.  “A distant cousin of mine…  Well, this is not the time to discuss it; the point is, whether science or magick, Gelardan found himself pursued by some sort of cult who believes that Stonehenge itself is a gateway to another world.  The cult stole the three objects that fell through the wormhole or gateway or whatever it was, and then, they mailed one of them to Gelardan’s daughter.”</p><p>Waverly moved the next slide, showing the image of a seven-year-old girl with dark skin and dark hair.</p><p>“This is the girl – Della is her name, was the second to receive one of these objects…”  The next slide revealed a sphere that looked as though it was carved from red crystal that almost seemed to burn with fire from within.  "The first was a boy the same age who lives in Newark; he received a similar sphere, one carved from yellow crystal, and was recently found missing along with the crystal.”</p><p>“Gelarden surmised that the cult took the boy and assumed they would be after his daughter next,” Marton said.  “He called me up, pleading with me to help him hide the two of them, and to look after the girl if anything happened to him.  My rivals at THRUSH must have been listening in on the call and did not like the idea of him disappearing…”  A pained look crossed his face.  “They killed him before I could arrive and took his wormhole device and research; I have my own ways of recovering that, but…  I had found the girl, Della, and the crystal sphere, and as we were leaving, we were waylaid by the cult.  …<i>Les cochons</i>…!  They took her when I was outnumbered!”</p><p>“And they took the crystal sphere, as well,” Waverly added.</p><p>“I could care less about the sphere!” Marton snarled.  “Gelardan had been depending on me to protect him, and I could not; his last wish was for me to protect his daughter, and I could not even do that for my old protégé…  And I cannot turn to THRUSH for help; they would care not for the girl.”  He looked to Waverly.  “Alex, you are the only one I can turn to… <i>je t'en prie, je t'en supplie</i>…”</p><p>Napoleon and Illya exchanged glances, their eyebrows arched.</p><p>“‘<i>Alex</i>’…!?” Napoleon silently mouthed.</p><p>Illya shrugged in response; this was a side of Marton he didn’t even know existed.</p><p>“At U.N.C.L.E., we care about the well-being of innocents, Victor; we will do what we can.  In the meantime, Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin, you will investigate Stonehenge and try to find the cult and the two missing children.  Victor, you will retrieve the device and research that was stolen from Gelardan and see that it makes its way to Mr. Kuryakin for his examination.”</p><p>Marton finally acknowledged Illya’s presence with a frown, and Illya couldn’t help but shoot a smug look at him; Marton would have to refrain from antagonizing him, for now, anyway…</p><p>“Do keep us updated, Mr. Solo,” Waverly finished.  “Once Victor retrieves…”  He trailed off as the phone rang.  “Yes, hello?  Ah, Mr. Slate; have you found the recipient of the third crystal sphere?”</p><p>To the surprise of the three others in the room, Waverly suddenly paled.</p><p>“…Very well, Mr. Slate; the best protection detail you can find for her.  Keep me informed of all the developments.”</p><p>He placed the phone back, now silent as he clearly sat contemplated something.</p><p>“Sir…?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“Alexander?” Marton queried.</p><p>“The recipient of the third sphere…?” Illya said.</p><p>Waverly sighed deeply for a moment before speaking again—</p><p>“…My granddaughter, Blanche.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Act B: Beelzebub has a Devil Put Aside for Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There is a brief reference to a fic I wrote for Halloween of 2017, “The Jack O’ the Lantern Affair,” but no additional knowledge, other than the exposition provided here, is necessary for this fic.  The lore discussed here in this segment is actual Stonehenge lore.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Waverly insisted on maintaining his professionalism, in spite of his obvious concern and worry for his family.  Marton was surprisingly sympathetic, perhaps since they were in a similar boat together, but Waverly insisted that Marton retrieve what was stolen from Gelardan’s home by THRUSH, and also insisted that Napoleon and Illya go to Stonehenge and see if they could track down the cult and find the two missing children.</p><p>“He’s taking this better than I thought he would,” Napoleon mused, as he, Illya, and Marton left the U.N.C.L.E. outpost.</p><p>“He is not; he merely hides it well,” Marton insisted.  “But I must retrieve the information he desires from my THRUSH colleagues.  And as for you two…  I trust you will spare no expense to ensure that the girl, Della, is found?”</p><p>The sudden edge to his voice took both Napoleon and Illya by surprise, but it was Illya who recovered first.</p><p>“Your ward is not the only one in danger; don’t forget that.  Even Mr. Waverly is putting his concerns for his granddaughter aside.”</p><p>“His granddaughter is not yet in that Devil’s den—but Della is!” Marton retorted.</p><p>“…I’m sorry—<i>what</i>!?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“You do not know…?” Marton asked.  “There are some who say that Arthurian legends are behind Stonehenge, but I have reason to believe in the other story—that the bluestones that Stonehenge is comprised of were brought here by <i>le Diable</i>.”</p><p>Napoleon looked away, trying to ignore the sudden spike in his heartrate.  A few Halloweens ago, he had been approached by someone who had claimed to be the Devil—and who had proclaimed an interest in claiming Napoleon’s soul.  Napoleon had begun to believe it, and even though Illya hadn’t believed in the Devil before the whole affair had started, if Napoleon believed it, then he would do what he could to prevent his partner’s distress.</p><p>“It is said he brought the bluestones here, and only one living being, a friar, saw him do it,” Marton said.  “The friar, clearly, had not been able to prevent the stones from being used.  It is why the place is sought by cultists.  And I do not want Della being in danger of being a party to some ritual!”</p><p>“We’ll, ah, do our best to prevent that,” Napoleon said.  “But the sooner you get Gelardan’s information to Illya, the sooner we can use that to our advantage.”</p><p>“You must find her,” Marton instructed.  There was no room for discussion in his voice, and he left without another word.</p><p>“…Did a THRUSH operative just give us an order?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“Napoleon, I think we should tell Mr. Waverly to give this assignment to someone else,” Illya said.</p><p>“Seriously?  With his granddaughter at stake, I don’t think Mr. Waverly would be willing to trust anyone other than us.  And besides, even if Mr. Waverly didn’t, Marton will still be holding us accountable for what happens to his ward,” Napoleon said.</p><p>“But did you not hear him mention the Devil?  Of course you did; I saw your reaction—you were thinking about what happened that Halloween, as well,” Illya said.  “And I stand by what I said then—whether or not I believe in it, if you believe it, then that is what matters.”</p><p>“Well, with you by my side, I don’t fear the Devil as much as I do someone who is trying to protect a child under their care,” Napoleon.  “You’ve seen the way my Ma gets when she hears about what THRUSH does to me, and I’m a grown man!”</p><p>Illya was about to say something before conceding that Napoleon had a point.</p><p>“Very well,” he said.  “Let’s get to Stonehenge quickly and put a stop to this.”</p><p>“My thoughts exactly, <i>Tovarisch</i>.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Act C: Fire, Ice, and Lightning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ancient circle of stones looked exactly as Illya had remembered it from his Cambridge days.  He glanced at Napoleon as he paused to take in the sight, silently mouthing a “…<i>Wow</i>…” as he gazed upon it.</p><p>“Is it as you hoped?” Illya queried.</p><p>“It sure is,” Napoleon said.  “I just wish the circumstances of my seeing it could’ve been better.  Well, it can’t be helped; we’ve got work to do.”</p><p>“<i>Da</i>; we’ve had help from the tourism side of it.  Upon U.N.C.L.E.’s insistence, they have temporarily halted nighttime visitors to Stonehenge.  Anyone present here tonight is someone who does not belong.”</p><p>“Noted,” Napoleon mused.  He paused, finding a small impact crater in the ground.  “Illya, look at this.”</p><p>“It must be where one of those three spheres fell from the wormhole,” Illya said.  He knelt down on the nearby grass, taking out a magnifying glass.  “The dirt in the crater appears to have been scorched, as though the sphere was hot upon impact.  I think I should take a soil sample, Napoleon; we might find some sort of tachyon residue, or some new type of substance that was brought from the foreign object.”</p><p>“Just be careful,” Napoleon instructed.  “You don’t know how dangerous it could be.”</p><p>“And that is why I am using gloves and the soil sample kit,” Illya assured him.  “In the meantime, work your way around the circle and see if you can find any impact craters from the other two spheres.”</p><p>“Right,” Napoleon said.</p><p>He worked his way around the stones, trying to keep an eye out for a similar hole in the ground.  He soon found one and knelt beside it with a second soil sample kit.  But before taking a sample, he paused, realizing that this impact crater, though the exact same size as the one Illya found, seemed different in some way.</p><p>Taking his own magnifying glass, he took a look, and reexamined the impact crater.  After a moment, he realized what was different—unlike Illya’s crater, there were no scorch marks.  In fact, it was just the opposite—through the magnifying glass, Napoleon could see a thin layer of frost in the crater, which wasn’t melting, despite the fact that it was June.</p><p>Napoleon pondered this for several minutes before pulling out his communicator.</p><p>“Illya?”</p><p>“<i>Da</i>?”</p><p>“I found a second crater, but there are no scorch marks in the dirt—just frost.”</p><p>“Frost?” Illya repeated.  “On a June afternoon?  It’s almost the first day of summer!”</p><p>“You heard me.  And considering that Gelardan has been dead for three days, it means the frost hasn’t melted.”</p><p>“In June?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“In. <i>June</i>?”</p><p>“We are traversing the thin line between the impossible and the improbable,” Napoleon intoned.</p><p>“You think!?” Illya sighed.  “Wait there; I need to see this for myself…”</p><p>He arrived to Napoleon’s side in minutes, taking a look at the frosted crater, and sighing as he couldn’t come up with an explanation for it.  As he watched Napoleon take the soil sample (frost and all) Illya pondered how he didn’t want to entertain the idea that Marton had been right about the lore and that this was, perhaps, some devilry afoot—but if Napoleon truly was in danger, not even the Devil himself would stop Illya from protecting him.</p><p>“Well, that’s two craters down, one more to go,” Napoleon sighed.  “Wonder what we’ll find in the third one?”</p><p>“We shall have to find out soon enough…”</p><p>Together, they went off in search of the third crater and found it.</p><p>“Did you notice that the three craters are almost an equal distance apart around the circle of stones?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“Triangular patterns are common in nature,” Illya said, grasping at straws for a rational explanation.</p><p>“True…” Napoleon replied.  He knelt beside this crater.  “Ah, a scorch mark again—but it’s just one, and it looks different than the first crater’s scorch marks.”</p><p>“You are correct,” Illya frowned.  “The first one had the scorch marks one would find at a campfire.  This is a scorch mark you would find similar to where lightning would strike—on a much smaller scale, however.”</p><p>Napoleon rested his chin in his hand, musing as Illya moved to collect the third soil sample.</p><p>“Three craters, three spheres—fire, ice, and lightning…” he mused aloud.  “What does it mean?”</p><p>Whatever it was, he could only hope they could figure it out—and, more importantly, use this information against the cult and rescue the missing children.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Act D: By Moonlight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They had sent the soil samples to the nearest U.N.C.L.E. lab after having a courier meet them.  There was nothing else to do but play the waiting game—something they were used to and knew very well.</p><p>As night fell and the tourists were told to leave and the light of the full moon illuminated the area around them, Napoleon and Illya sought refuge in the shadow of one of the great dolerite stones that comprised Stonehenge.</p><p>As the moon continued to rise higher in the sky, Napoleon had to admit he was beginning to feel chills down his spine, despite the June night being otherwise pleasantly warm.</p><p>“You know, I’m almost beginning to believe that there <i>is</i> something up with this place,” he whispered.</p><p>There would have been a time long ago, before some of their weirder cases, that Illya probably would have teased him for saying that.  Now, though, he wouldn’t be so quick to scoff at the notion.</p><p>“The wormhole <i>did</i> open here,” he returned, also softly.  “Whether from tachyon residue—or something else in the air, perhaps—it would cause a strange feeling.  Especially when the likes of agents such as ourselves need to be on high alert.”</p><p>He saw Napoleon’s shadow-covered outline nod, and then crouch lower to the ground to peek out from behind the stone.</p><p>“If the cultists show up tonight, they could come from any direction,” he whispered.</p><p>“While true, I doubt they will come tonight,” Illya returned, but still keeping his voice down.</p><p>Napoleon craned his neck behind him to look at Illya’s darkened silhouette.</p><p>“What makes you say that?”</p><p>“Today is the 19th,” Illya said.  “If some sort of ritual would take place, it would be most likely held on the solstice—perhaps either before sunrise or after sunset.”  He managed a smirk in spite of himself as he saw Napoleon’s silhouette continue to stare at him, and he could imagine the look on his partner’s face.  “Just because I don’t believe in certain things, it doesn’t mean I lack the knowledge of them.  But, again, what I believe doesn’t matter—what the cultists believe will determine how this unfolds.”</p><p>“Right,” Napoleon sighed.  <i>And whether the Devil really is involved somehow</i>…</p><p>“That also means that they have a limited time frame to be after Mr. Waverly’s granddaughter,” Illya continued.  “If the protection detail in New York does their job properly, the ritual could be null and void without young Blanche to participate in it.  Perhaps then, they would release the other two children without much of a fight—hopefully even surrender, as well.”</p><p>“That would be the ideal situation.  But I wonder, why her…?” Napoleon began.</p><p>He froze as something cold touched his cheek for a fraction of a second; he touched the side of his face and then looked around.</p><p>“Napoleon?”</p><p>“Is it raining?  I felt something like a cold raindrop…”  He gave a start again as he felt another one on his nose.  “What the…?”</p><p>He looked behind him, and then did a double-take.</p><p>“…Illya…?”</p><p>“What is—?”</p><p>Illya turned and froze, as well; visible in the moonlight were snowflakes, but falling from a single point in the sky, directly over where the frost-covered impact crater was.</p><p>While on the same wavelength, they instinctively looked out from behind the giant stone to see the points above the other two impact craters.  Sure enough, the first one had tiny embers suspended in midair over it, and the third had tiny bolts of static electricity striking the crater.</p><p>“…What is going on!?” Napoleon blurted out.</p><p>His partner had no answer.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Act E: Parallels</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Napoleon and Illya continued to stare at the three elements over the impact craters until they heard a third voice—</p><p>“…<i>Vingt dieux…</i>”</p><p>The duo turned, and Illya bristled to see Victor Marton standing there with the wormhole device in his hands and the folder of research tucked under his arm.  The device was on, and as he stared onward at the fire, ice, and lightning, the three elements seemed to grow in intensity until Illya sprung up from their hiding place and indicated the device Marton was holding.</p><p>“Just what do you think you’re doing, prying with this!?” Illya chided.</p><p>“Ah, <i>tais-tois</i>!  I did not touch anything; either Gelardan or, more likely, those foolish THRUSH rivals of mine left the device on!”  He scowled as Illya now unceremoniously pulled the device from him and turned it off.  Almost instantly, the three elements stopped hovering over the impact craters.  “<i>Bon</i>, you have done it.  Where is Monsieur Solo?  I thought the two of you were joined at the hip?”</p><p>Napoleon, still hiding as he reclined in the shadow of the dolerite, cleared his throat and waved as he propped himself up on his other arm, his hand briefly appearing in the moonlight.</p><p>“Do you two mind not standing in the moonlight in case those cultists do decide on casing the place?”</p><p>Illya retreated back to the shadow, as well, with Marton following him; Marton took a look at Napoleon’s reclined pose and rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Here is Gelardan’s research—see if you can make anything of it,” he said, handing the folder to Illya.</p><p>Illya took it and began to read by the penlight in his communicator.</p><p>Napoleon knew he’d make no heads or tails of it, so he looked out from their lookout spot again, seeing nothing.</p><p>“Any word on Mr. Waverly’s granddaughter?” he asked.</p><p>“<i>Oui</i>, I talked to Alexander on my way here,” Marton said.  “The protection detail in New York has already dealt with five attempts to take the girl.”</p><p>Napoleon and Illya both cursed.</p><p>“That’s going to put Mr. Waverly in a jam,” Napoleon sighed.  “By all rights, the logical thing to do is divert more manpower to protect her—but that’ll spreading our personnel thin, and everyone will accuse him of trying to divert personnel just to save his granddaughter.”</p><p>Illya shook his head and kept reading, and then paused as he came across something.</p><p>“Well, this partially explains what’s been happening here at Stonehenge…” he said.  “Gelardan believes he made contact with someone in a parallel England using his device.  Listen to this… ‘It was not until I reached Salisbury Plain that I received any sort of signal using the device.  At first, I attempted to address them, giving my name and position: Gelardan from England.  I must have repeated the phrase nearly four dozen times before I finally received a reply.  I could discern a garbled name, and then a location—Galar.  If my theory is correct, then it would seem that this ‘Galar’ takes the place of England in another parallel segment of space-time.  Overcome, I increased the intensity of the device in the hopes of being able to send or receive a more coherent message—assuming their language was anything like ours.  But when I did, three small wormholes truly opened before my eyes around Stonehenge in a circle, each a perfect 120 degrees from each other, and through each wormhole fell a crystal sphere of a different color—red, blue, and yellow.  I moved to take notes and retrieve them immediately, but, to my dismay, they were stolen by thieves in cloaks, and I had to return empty-handed.  But I cannot help but feel as though I have reached a breakthrough that none have achieved before me.’”</p><p>“Red, blue, and yellow…” Napoleon repeated.  “Fire, ice, and lightning…”</p><p>“How do the children fit into this?” Marton demanded.</p><p>“That, there is no explanation for,” Illya said.  “He must have recognized the red crystal sphere in the mail as the one he saw, panicked, and called you.”</p><p>“This does not help!” Marton exclaimed.</p><p>“Oh, but it does,” Illya said.  “As you just demonstrated when you arrived here, we can use this device to create these elements to appear at our command now, if only we can figure out the intricacies of the machine.”</p><p>“I can see where this is going…” Napoleon said, propping himself up on his arm again.  “We use their own superstitions against them and ‘conjure’ up those elements in front of them—maybe scare them into leaving the children behind.”</p><p>“<i>Da</i>, that was my idea.”</p><p>“I shall go along with this,” Marton said.  “But I demand some time with these kidnappers myself.”</p><p>Napoleon was about to say something, but Illya beat him to it.</p><p>“You ‘demand’?” he queried.  “You are in no position to demand—unless you think you can figure out how to work the wormhole device yourself?  …No?  Then I suggest that you leave the rescue to us.”</p><p>Marton didn’t look as though he was going to agree to this, but given the problems they were dealing with, Napoleon decided they could deal with this one later.</p><p>They would still have to play the waiting game for now and keep an eye on Marton, but at least they had a plan now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Act F: Waiting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The waiting game often came with hypervigilant senses on high alert, and that night was no exception.  Napoleon lay on his stomach, perfectly still in the shadow of the dolerite.  The grass tickled his chin, its scent filling his nostrils as he continued to keep watch on the goings on within the formation of stones and the space beyond it.  Beside him sat Illya, sitting upright while still in the shadow of the stone, but facing in the opposite direction.  He was silent, and, dressed in his black turtleneck while in the dark, he might as well have been the Invisible Man.  The only clues to Illya’s presence were the familiar scent of the product he used in his hair (it was subtle, but one that Napoleon knew very well) and the very faint beam of the penlight as he continued to read the research.</p><p>Further away from the duo, but still in the shadow, Marton sat in silence, still clearly concerned over the as-of-yet unknown fate of Della, yet also keeping an eye on the opposite direction to allow Illya to read the research as he kept watch.</p><p>Illya hadn’t yet found anything new, and Napoleon continued to keep his vantage point, staring out into the middle of the stone formation.</p><p>After some time, however, a new smell hit his nostrils—one different than that of the grass beneath his nose.  He frowned.</p><p>“Illya, tell Marton not to smoke; he’ll give us away.”</p><p>“<i>Imbécile</i>, you think I do not know that!?” Marton returned.</p><p>“Well if you aren’t smoking, then who…?” Napoleon trailed off, licked his finger, and held it up briefly before pointing in the direction of the center of the circle.  “Wind is coming from that way—and so is the cigarette smell.  Gentlemen, we have company coming.”  He sighed inwardly as he heard a <i>click</i> as Marton removed the safety of his gun.  “<i>No</i>.  You don’t know if the children will be in the line of fire—one of them being your ward.”</p><p>Marton scowled, but conceded that Napoleon had a point.</p><p>“Napoleon and I have the tranquilizer darts; we will use those if need be,” Illya whispered.  “For now, let us just observe who is arriving here and with what intentions.  As I mentioned to Napoleon earlier, it is unlikely that a ritual will be held tonight—not on the solstice, and not without the third child they’re seeking.”</p><p>He fell silent now, and the three watched as, slowly, five robed figures appeared in the moonlight.</p><p>“Are you sure this place is not under surveillance?” one of them asked, smoking the cigarette that Napoleon had sensed.</p><p>“We have sensed to electronic surveillance of any kind, and we have seen no one since we made our way here in the last hour,” a second replied.</p><p>Napoleon had to make an effort not to scoff.  Just an hour?  Really?  When they’d been here since before sunset?</p><p>“We can make the preliminary preparations now, then,” a third robed figure said.  “We do not require the children for the preparations.  Our time is limited, and we must be ready for when the time is ready.”</p><p>“And if the time passes, what then?  We cannot wait another year—not when the very air has come to life by this discovery!” the fourth insisted.</p><p>“Enough,” said the fifth.  “We must have faith that our brethren will be able to do as we requested of them…”</p><p>There was the sound of a radio receiver crackling, and the man took out what was unmistakably a communication device from his robe.</p><p>Though the three tried to discern the conversation, the replies over the line were garbled enough that, at their distance, they could hear nothing concrete.</p><p>But that soon proved to be unnecessary.</p><p>“The words were barely out of my mouth, and our brethren has, indeed, proven themselves.”  He paused to let the others murmur among themselves.  “Yes—the sleeping gas worked; the girl in New York is in our grasp at last, with her part of the treasure.  She is on her way here as we speak.”</p><p>“<i>Quoi</i>!?” Marton hissed, stunned.</p><p>Illya didn’t even bother trying to shush him; he could only mouth a silent “<i>Bozhe moi</i>” at this news.</p><p>And Napoleon sighed, the weight of the situation growing stronger with each passing moment.</p><p>They had taken Waverly’s granddaughter—and by the sound of things, word had not yet gotten back to Waverly himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Act G: Change of Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was nothing they could do at that particular moment; they continued to wait and watch as the cultists discussed things.</p><p>“We shall change plans,” the leader of the smaller group was saying.  “Rather than ready things here, we shall go back and receive the girl when our brethren arrives with her.  You two…”  He indicated two robed men.  “You two case the area—make sure there are no surveillance devices of any kind.  Our ritual depends on secrecy.  We’ll return in an hour for the report.”</p><p>The two men nodded and began to survey the area around the central grove first as the three other men left.</p><p>Napoleon now indicated one of the left-behind cultists that was traveling the perimeter of the grove, heading straight for them.  Illya and Marton both nodded, and they sat quietly as the cultist drew closer.</p><p>Once the man was close enough, Napoleon launched himself from the shadow-covered ground into an uppercut that landed squarely on the man’s chin.  He was knocked back against the dolerite, which knocked him out, sending him flat on his face.</p><p>The other cultist, hearing the struggle, now quickly ran over towards them; Illya unceremoniously tranquilized him, still so invisible from his vantage point that the man never knew what got him.</p><p>“Well, the good news is, we have two people we can question to find out about what happened to those kids, and we have a way of infiltrating the cult,” Napoleon said, as he removed the black robe from the cultist he had knocked out.  “The bad news is, I don’t think Mr. Waverly knows about his granddaughter—and one of us has to break it to him.”</p><p>“I will be that one to do so,” Marton volunteered, though it was clear that he was taking no pleasure in it.  “Coming from me, who knows how he would feel in this situation…  It will make it as well as it could possibly be.”</p><p>“Fine,” Napoleon said, as he now pulled the robe on over his clothes.  “Illya, I want you to take Marton and our two prisoners to the outpost.  Once they’re there, use that second robe and meet me back here before those guys come back in an hour—we can infiltrate the cult together.  Any objections?”</p><p>“<i>Nyet</i>; after what happened with Brother Love, we are probably best infiltrating together.”</p><p>“That’s just what I was thinking,” Napoleon sobered.  “Well, there’s no time to waste—you need to be back here before the rest of those cultists come back.”</p><p>“Monsieur Solo, if you find Della—”</p><p>“Rest assured, we will do everything it takes to make sure that she and the other children are safe.  And you can tell Mr. Waverly that.  And Illya?  Tell New York that they better have some answers for me as to what went wrong with the protection detail.”</p><p>“I will convey your disapproval and tell them to expect a full review,” Illya said.</p><p>“Right,” Napoleon said.  “Hurry back; it’s going to be tough to explain where the second guy went if they end up coming back early.”</p><p>Illya nodded and dragged one of the cultists away; Marton took the other, handling the man very roughly indeed (and intentionally so, Napoleon suspected).</p><p>Napoleon waited until they were out of sight and began to patrol around the central clearing as he now wore the robe, the hood pulled over his head to conceal his face with its shadow.  He was certainly frustrated that, somehow, New York had failed in their assignment; he’d been hoping for that stall.</p><p>“What went wrong…?” he muttered.</p><p>“Oh, you can’t really blame them, Mr. Solo,” a new voice said.  “You see, I had a little hand in things, you might say…”</p><p>Napoleon stopped in his tracks, his blood practically freezing in his veins.  He knew that voice—the last time he’d heard it was a few Halloweens ago, trying to convince him to sign over his soul…</p><p>He turned to see what resembled a man in a pinstriped suit, smirking at him—but Napoleon knew that he was no man.</p><p>He was the Devil himself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Act H: What is a Man?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Napoleon was not a man who was easily shaken.  But this was no ordinary situation—and no ordinary adversary.  And, suddenly, he found himself wishing that Illya was right by his side again—his anchor and his lifeline who would never fail in helping him keep a clear head when he needed it most…</p><p>“It’s been far too long, Mr. Solo, hasn’t it?”</p><p>“Not nearly long enough,” Napoleon said, sounding a lot braver than he felt.  “In all honesty, I would have been perfectly content with never seeing you ever again, Zero.”</p><p>Zero—one of many names this fiendish being went by, and it was the one Napoleon dared to use, as any of the others chilled him to utter.</p><p>“Ah, but I wouldn’t be content, you see,” Zero returned.  “I have a habit of pursuing what I want, much like you humans do.”</p><p>“We’ve been through this before—I know what you want, and you can’t have it,” Napoleon said.  “I have everything I could ever want, and even if there was something I wanted, I wouldn’t turn over my soul for it!”</p><p>“The thing about humanity is that no member of this miserable species is incorruptible,” Zero said, not at all dissuaded by Napoleon’s reply.  “All one needs to do is push the right buttons—and I know <i>everyone’s</i> buttons.”</p><p>“I’ll bet you do,” Napoleon said.  “Now, if you don’t mind, my partner will be returning here soon, and we have a lot of work to do thanks to those cultists who probably believe that you brought these dolerite stones here…!”  He trailed off, deciding he didn’t want to know if the story was true.</p><p>“Yes, two of you against an army of cultists you know nothing about—their numbers, their beliefs, or how they deal with unwanted visitors,” Zero scoffed.  “Do you really expect to free those children with just the two of you?”</p><p>“Only one way to find out,” Napoleon returned.</p><p>“And if you fail?  Do you think you will be allowed more than one chance?  Can you live with that on your conscience?” Zero taunted.  “Three innocent children—their lives barely just begun.  All I need from you is your signature, and they could be free this very instant.  Will you be so selfish that you will not guarantee their freedom here and now?”</p><p>Napoleon hesitated, almost falling for the bait—before he remembered who his adversary was.</p><p>“You know, you almost make it make sense.  Almost.”</p><p>Zero scowled, and Napoleon continued.</p><p>“What you don’t seem to realize is just how stubborn we humans can be,” he went on.  “I will find a way to return those children to their families—and I’ll do it without any input from you.”</p><p>“And you mark <i>my</i> words,” Zero countered.  “Just for that, I will endeavor to make it that much harder for you.  And before the end of it, you will be begging for me to help you save them, and you will be willing to sign over your soul to do it.”</p><p>“…Well, clearly, one of us is going to have egg on his face before this is over,” Napoleon said.  He folded his arms and stuck his hip out slightly in a defiant pose.  “And my face is far too pretty for that.”</p><p>“Go on, Mr. Solo.  Keep being defiant,” Zero sneered.  “That will only make it that much more satisfying when you finally break.”</p><p>In a puff of smoke, he had vanished, leaving Napoleon alone.  Napoleon waited for a moment to make sure he wasn’t coming back before dropping his confident pose and exhaling in nervousness.</p><p>He could only hope that, with Illya’s help, he would be able to keep his vow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Act I: Moving Onward</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was with an immense amount of nervousness that Napoleon spent the next twenty minutes alone, hoping and praying that Zero wouldn’t come back.  Finally, his communicator whistled.</p><p>“Napoleon?”</p><p>“<i>Where are you!?</i>”</p><p>There was a pause, as though Illya was surprised by the evident stress in Napoleon’s voice.</p><p>“I am near you—I didn’t want to surprise you in the dark.  Should be with you in another few minutes.”</p><p>“Good.  What kept you?”</p><p>“…I wasn’t gone for very long, Napoleon.  What has happened?”</p><p>Napoleon wasn’t sure how to describe what had just transpired, but somehow managed to spit it out—</p><p>“He was here, Illya.”</p><p>He didn’t elaborate, nor did it seem that he needed to.  Illya did not respond, but less than two minutes later, Napoleon could hear footsteps sprinting towards him along the grass, and soon, in the moonlight, saw Illya, disguised in the black, hooded robe, heading for him.</p><p>“Are you alright!?” he demanded.</p><p>“Yeah—for now,” Napoleon sighed.  “He once again stated his intentions, offered to rescue the kids in exchange for my soul, and left in a huff when I turned him down.  Said he’ll see me beg to take his deal before he was through.”</p><p>Illya cursed.</p><p>“He is gone now?” </p><p>“I think so,” Napoleon said.  “But he did promise to be back—with complications.”</p><p>“That’s all we need right now,” Illya muttered.  “We’re waiting for the incident reports from New York.  In the meantime, Mr. Waverly has tasked us with getting the children back; he trusts no one else now.”</p><p>“…How did he take the news?”</p><p>“As well as you would expect,” Illya sighed.  “And I have seen a side of Marton that I did not believe existed.”</p><p>“Really…?”  Napoleon was surprised; he knew Illya never had a kind word to say about Marton normally.</p><p>“I mean, I understand now partially the scope of what they have been through for Mr. Waverly to take Marton into his confidence,” Illya said.  “And Marton’s sincerity was genuine.  Furthermore, Marton advised me that Mr. Waverly is not likely to be content with sitting still as you and I attempt to rescue the children; he said to expect Mr. Waverly actively attempting to free them, as well—and, given the circumstances, expect Marton to join him.”</p><p>“…Wonderful, there’re complications one and two right there without any help from Zero,” Napoleon sighed.</p><p>“What do you suggest we do, then?” Illya asked.</p><p>“For right now?  We go with the original plan since, at least, we know where we stand,” Napoleon said.  “We wait for those other cultists to come back, join them, and infiltrate them to where they’re staying in the hopes of finding the children there."</p><p>Illya nodded in agreement.</p><p>“Hopefully, we will make some progress with this soon.”</p><p>Hope was all they had right now—and so they would hang onto it, in spite of the immense weight pressing down upon their souls.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Act J: The Infiltration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They had silenced their communicators as the other cultists returned; knowing how to communicate by gestures rather than words, they merely shrugged and indicated that they’d found nothing while searching the area, prompting the lead cultists to announce that he would be sending others to begin to make things ready.</p><p>And, like the Trojans, Napoleon and Illya were taken back to the cultists’ hideout and were told they could relax after the success of their mission.  Naturally, they pretended to be restless—walking around to stretch their legs when, in reality, they were searching for any sign of the children.  So far, they had found junk food bags and wrappers—evidence of snacks no doubt provided to the children to keep them as quiet as possible.</p><p>“I am certain they are here,” Illya said, in an undertone.</p><p>“So am I; it’s just that it won’t be easy getting them out,” Napoleon said.  “We can’t disguise them in robes—even if we tried having them stand on each other’s shoulders in one robe.”</p><p>“…What?”</p><p>“Oh, you know—the old cartoons where kids stand on each other’s shoulders in a trenchcoat to sneak into the movie theater?”</p><p>Even with his face obscured by the black hood of the cloak, Napoleon knew that Illya was staring at him with a blank look.</p><p>“Nevermind…”</p><p>“…Americans…” Illya muttered.  “But you bring up a good point—even if we find them, how do we get them out?  If we called for reinforcements, they would take the children and flee—if not use them as shields to ensure the getaway.”</p><p>Napoleon sobered and just grunted in reply.</p><p>“…Napoleon?”</p><p>“You’re right—it’s hopeless.”</p><p>“I did not say that,” Illya insisted.  “We just have to be more creative.”</p><p>Napoleon paused for a moment.</p><p>“Look, Illya—we need to come to an agreement about something.”</p><p>“…What?” Illya replied, knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer.</p><p>“Zero was right about one thing—these kids have only just begun to live.  We need to guarantee their safety, no matter the cost.”</p><p>“Napoleon, the cost he is demanding is one you cannot pay,” Illya insisted.  “There must be another way—there always is.”</p><p>“Is there?” Napoleon asked.  “I’ve been trying my Solo Luck as long as I’ve been alive—I really can’t expect it to last forever, can I?”</p><p>“I have heard you say many times that when your Solo Luck begins to fail you, that’s when you depend on me,” Illya countered.  “Why is this any different?”  He reached over and gripped Napoleon’s shoulder.  “Napoleon, I would never want to see you jaded on any occasion—but this is one time when I absolutely cannot have you losing faith.”</p><p>“Big talk, coming from you.”</p><p>“I told you, even if I do not believe in most things, I have always had faith in the two of us.  Surely you still have that?”</p><p>Napoleon blinked, but then nodded, and Illya quietly let out a sigh of relief.</p><p>“Good.  Then let’s continue on with this together.  And I give you my word, I will not leave your side.”</p><p>“Even if I order you to?” Napoleon asked, wondering when Zero could just pop out of nowhere.</p><p>“<i>Especially</i> not then,” Illya insisted, reading his thoughts.</p><p>Despite himself, Napoleon managed a wan smile.</p><p>“Well then, <i>Tovarisch</i>, let’s keep looking.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Act K: Complications</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The search continued, with only the same results—only a few signs that children were being provided for, but the children themselves were nowhere to be seen.</p><p>Napoleon and Illya were beginning to get discouraged—that was, until they had passed underneath the attic.</p><p>“Illya, do you smell that?”</p><p>“Smells like smoke…” Illya said.  “And listen—I can hear something that sounds like electricity crackling…”</p><p>They glanced up, pausing as they saw frost creeping from the tiny gaps around the closed attic door.</p><p>“Fire, ice, and lightning once again,” Napoleon mused.  “That seems to be a recurring theme here… just like those three spheres that were sent to the three children!  We need a ladder!”</p><p>“No time; I will give you a boost,” Illya offered, cupping his hands.</p><p>Napoleon leaped into action; he used Illya’s boost to open the attic door and pull himself up.  He took a quick look around, and then grabbed a discarded bedsheet to pull Illya up.</p><p>Illya, too, paused as he looked around.  There were blankets, sheets, and pillows set up on three cots, and food and drinks were strewn about all over the room.  A television had been left on to some cartoons, but what drew their attention most was a small window that had been previously blocked with metal bars—but the bars were now off of the window, and a climbing rope made of tied-together bedsheets was tied to a radiator on one end and dangling out the window with the other.</p><p>“They got out themselves!” Illya marveled.  “But how?”</p><p>“Well, I think the cultists <i>and</i> the both of us neglected to appreciate the significance that one of the three missing children is the granddaughter of the head of an international law enforcement agency and would’ve had more knowledge than most kids on what to do in a situation like this,” Napoleon mused.  “We should have realized that Mr. Waverly would’ve taught Blanche a thing or two…  And look here—looks like Marton had taught Della a few tricks herself.”  He indicated the windowpane—all around the areas where the bars had been inserted, there were burn marks.  “Della had received the fire sphere, hadn’t she?  She must have been using it on this window since her capture.  And Blanche would’ve gotten to work right away, and she must have gotten the ice sphere—if she’d used it on the bars, the cold would have caused the metal to slightly contract while Della had worked on burning the wood.  And the boy must have used the lightning sphere on the other side of the bars—the scorch marks are different again, because of the lightning.  Pulling out the bars would’ve been doable after all three of them had been keeping at it.”</p><p>“…So, these three spheres, which are the key to everything and have these elemental connections, were just left in the hands of the three children required for their ritual, unsupervised?”</p><p>“Well, they’re certainly not the smartest cultists we’ve come across, that’s for sure,” Napoleon mused.  “Let’s be grateful for that…”</p><p>“Napoleon, look—on the floor beneath the window!”</p><p>Napoleon’s gaze fell on three feathers beneath the windowsill—a blue feather, from which the frost trail was emanating from, a red feather that was still smoking from having been ignited, and a yellow feather that was sparking with static electricity.</p><p>“We saw these little bits of elements near the craters where the spheres landed,” Illya recalled.  “And now, where the spheres were used, they are here again.”</p><p>“But with these three feathers—those weren’t there last time,” Napoleon said.  “What kind of birds are these feathers supposed to be from?”  He shook his head.  “But that isn’t important now—we need to find where those kids ran off to.”</p><p>He glanced out the window.</p><p>“They probably would’ve made a break for it right in the direction away from this place, unless Blanche and Della used any more of their learning to make a more tactical plan,” he predicted.  “In which case—they could’ve gone anywhere, or nowhere at all.”</p><p>“Nowhere?” Illya repeated.</p><p>“Think about it,” Napoleon said.  “If you knew that a crazed cult would be after you once they found out about your escape, where would be the best place to hide?”</p><p>“…Right under their noses,” Illya realized.  “They might be on the property somewhere—or nearby, at the very least!”</p><p>“Then let’s get going—but we’ll go out the attic door and out the main entrance,” Napoleon said.  “I see no need to advertise the kids’ escape just yet.”</p><p>“Right,” Illya agreed.</p><p>And the two of them took the long way out, grateful for the latest turn of events.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Act L: Feathers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The search took them across the grounds, the two of them pretending to patrol the area as they searched for any likely hiding places.  There wasn’t much on the grounds; surrounding the old place were replica monoliths mimicking those at Stonehenge, some of them even having a lintel resting over the monoliths, as one could see at the actual site.</p><p>“Alright, if I were a child hiding from adults, where would I hide…?” Napoleon mused quietly.</p><p>“Is there some sort of rubbish heap or place where discarded things are kept?” Illya returned.</p><p>Napoleon almost asked what made Illya jump to that idea so quickly before remembering his partner’s unfortunate childhood on the streets of war-torn Kiev.  Behind his hood, his expression softened.</p><p>“Illya…”</p><p>“This is not the time to worry about me, Napoleon,” Illya reminded him.</p><p>“Right…”</p><p>They continued to look around, finding some sort of storage area for pieces of dolerite, also arranged into smaller arches and lintels.</p><p>“Napoleon, look…”</p><p>There was frost on the ground near this area—barely noticeable, but there.  Napoleon crept closer to the small arches, trying to find the source.</p><p>“Wait!” he heard Illya exclaim.</p><p>At first, Napoleon thought he was addressing him, but as he turned, he saw a small silhouette standing up on one of the lintels, ready to clout him with a tree branch that had the fire sphere taped to the end of it.</p><p>“Silence, <i>cochons</i>, or I will set you aflame!” a young girl’s voice hissed.</p><p>“Blanche, call her off!” Napoleon said, risking raising his voice slightly.  “It’s us—Napoleon and Illya!”</p><p>“Mr. Solo!?”</p><p>A second silhouette arose from a second lintel, and Napoleon briefly removed the hood of his robe, allowing the red light of the fire sphere to briefly illuminate his face.</p><p>“Della, stop!  These guys work for my grandfather!”</p><p>Della put her makeshift fire spear down as a third silhouette looked up from a third lintel.</p><p>“A smart tactic,” Illya commended.  “Using the frost as a decoy to get the drop on any pursuers.  But, more importantly, are you all alright?”</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Blanche said, as she and the others clambered down from the lintels.  Napoleon indicated the shadows, and they all hid beneath the stone formations.  “They need us to use these spheres for some ritual.”</p><p>“But why you three?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“<i>La plume</i>,” Della said.  “After Papa was at Stonehenge, a red feather followed me home.  And then they sent this.”  She pointed to the fire sphere, and her expression darkened.  “Papa is gone—he knew something was going to happen to us.  That was when he called <i>Grand-pére</i> for help.”</p><p>“<i>Grand-pére</i>?” Napoleon repeated.  “Oh—Marton…”</p><p>Della nodded.</p><p>“Papa told me to go with <i>Grand-pére</i> if anything happened.  He told me to hide when those men came.  <i>Grand-pére</i> found me after…”  She trailed off.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Napoleon said, sincerely.</p><p>Della gave a hollow nod.</p><p>“We were leaving, and then these people came and took me away…  I don’t know if they hurt <i>Grand-pére</i> or not.”</p><p>“He’s fine,” Napoleon assured her.  “And he was most insistent on making sure that my partner and I find you.”</p><p>“And what about you, Blanche?” Illya asked.</p><p>“I had a blue feather float in through my window before they sent me the ice sphere,” she said, holding the sphere out.  “Spark got a yellow feather before they sent him his sphere, too.”</p><p>“Spark?” Illya repeated, and he looked to the blond boy, who gave him a wave.</p><p>“That’s what they call me at the orphanage.  Don’t know what my real name is,” the boy said.  “But, I like it.”</p><p>“Orphanage,” Napoleon repeated.  “Well, that accounts for why you weren’t on our radar sooner.”</p><p>Illya gave a glum nod.</p><p>“We are practically invisible.  Sometimes, it saves our lives.  But sometimes, it is our undoing…”  He trailed off as he heard a beeping sound.  “Napoleon…?”</p><p>“That sounds like a tracker,” Napoleon whispered.  He glanced at the trio of kids.  “There might be a tracking device on those spheres, or maybe they were slipped to them some other way.”  He took a quick peek out from the stone formation and retreated.  “Yup, two cultists, headed right this way.”</p><p>Their situation had not improved.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Act M: A Step Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Silently, Napoleon motioned for the children to hide further in the shadows, and then indicated Illya to prepare to tranquilize the two robed figured approaching them.</p><p>He raised his Special, the moonlight glinting off of it, briefly, prompting one of the robed figures to stop.</p><p>“Mr. Solo?”</p><p>Napoleon nearly dropped his Special in surprise, and, back in the shadows, Blanche gasped.</p><p>“Grandfather!?”</p><p>Illya brought his hand up to his hood as Blanche ran out to Mr. Waverly, and Napoleon realized he was facepalming.</p><p>“So that tracking device we heard was Mr. Waverly tracking Napoleon and me down…?” he muttered.</p><p>“I did warn you, Monsieur Kuryakin, that Alexander and I would not sit idly by when—”</p><p>“<i>Grand-pére</i>?”</p><p>Della ran out now, and Marton’s entire snarky tone changed to one of the utmost concern.</p><p>“Della!”</p><p>Illya was still facepalming.</p><p>“Look, ah, I appreciate a good family reunion or two as much as the next person,” Napoleon said.  “But can we not stick around here?  …Sir?” he added, as an afterthought.</p><p>“Yes, you’re quite right, Mr. Solo,” Waverly sighed, taking Blanche by the hand.  “Perhaps I was victim to a rather gross lack of judgment tonight, but I am only human.  Surely you and Mr. Kuryakin understand that.”</p><p>“A fair point,” Illya admitted; after all, more than once, the he and Napoleon had gone against Waverly’s direct orders in the past to rescue each other in spite of pressing mission matters.  “Now let us leave.”</p><p>Napoleon quickly checked to see if the coast was clear and motioned for the others to follow.  Illya stayed with Spark as they made their way across the old property; Mr. Waverly was still taking Blanche by the hand, while Della insisted on being carried—and Marton could not refuse her.</p><p>“I have a car waiting for us,” Waverly informed them.</p><p>“Fine; we’ll go back to the outpost and decide what to do from there…” Napoleon began, but he trailed off to see the car surrounded by hooded cultists, staring at them.  They didn’t appear to be armed, and Napoleon now aimed his Special at the group of them.  “I recommend that you step away from the car.”</p><p>“We outnumber you—and, more than that, you are dealing with magic powers that you have no concept of,” one of the cultists returned.  “After everything falling into place as it has, we will not let you disrupt our plans.”</p><p>“Disrupt!?” Marton retorted, before Napoleon could respond.  He held Della in a one-armed hug with his left arm as he used his free right hand to draw his THRUSH-issued weapon.  “I will kill you all where you stand for what you have done!”</p><p>“Do that, and you will never see them again,” the cultist said.</p><p>In an instant, there was a blinding flash of light; Spark had vanished from Illya’s side, and Waverly and Marton soon found themselves holding nothing but empty air.  Waverly was frantically calling for Blanche, and Marton was staring at his now-empty left arm with an unreadable expression.</p><p>“What have you done!?” Napoleon demanded.</p><p>“They will be returned to you when we are finished—providing there is no further interference,” the man said, simply, and in another flash of light, the cultists all had vanished, as well.</p><p>They had come so far, only to lose in the blink of an eye.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Act N: Reassess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Waverly’s expression looked like that of an absolutely broken man—Napoleon had never seen him like this before.  Indeed, Waverly clearly knew now that he couldn’t begrudge the agents in New York for failing to keep Blanche safe when he himself could not.  And after seeing what they were up against, Napoleon couldn’t blame them, either; nothing in their training could’ve prepared them for this.</p><p>Napoleon now gave a start as Marton suddenly yelled something in French and then shattered one of the windows of the car with one punch.  No doubt, he, too, was blaming himself for having allowed himself to lose Della to them a second time.</p><p>“Napoleon?”</p><p>He glanced back at his partner now, who had now removed the hood of his robes, allowing the first rays of the dawn to illuminate his golden hair.</p><p>“Napoleon, if we’re going to have any hope of seeing the children again, we will need to find out the exact moment their ritual will be held and intercept them at Stonehenge.  I fear that trying to storm their hideout now will end badly.  They were toying with us all this time, but I imagine they won’t be holding back any more.”</p><p>From his periphery, Napoleon could see Waverly and Marton turn their attention to him and Illya, saying nothing, but listening.</p><p>“I believe you’re right,” Napoleon said.  “You had a pretty good window of when the ritual was likely to take place.”</p><p>“A good window, yes, but we need to be absolutely precise so as to be in position to stop it before those children can be used for anything.  I’m going to find the nearest telephone and contact the nearest astronomical observatory to get an exact time as to when the solstice will take place.  From there, we can proceed.  What do you think?”</p><p>“I think that’s a good idea—providing Mr. Waverly thinks so,” Napoleon added, glancing at him.</p><p>But Waverly waved him on.</p><p>“I think we have already established, Mr. Solo, that my judgment in this affair is significantly clouded due to my personal connection to it,” he said.  “I, therefore, give you and Mr. Kuryakin the full authority to proceed as you best see fit, without any input from me, and the full usage of any and all resources from both U.N.C.L.E. Northwest and Northeast.  Don’t you agree, Victor?”</p><p>“<i>D’accord.</i>  Let them do what they must—just keep Della safe from all this…” he agreed.</p><p>“Alright,” Napoleon said, with a nod.  “Illya, you go with what you were planning and meet me back at the U.N.C.L.E. outpost.”</p><p>“What will you be doing?”</p><p>“Interrogating those two cultists we captured last night and hope I can get some information from them,” Napoleon sighed.</p><p>“You think they will talk to you?”</p><p>Napoleon glanced back at Waverly and Marton.</p><p>“They might if I have the grandfather of one of the missing children and the guardian of another of them in there with me,” he sighed.</p><p>Illya arched an eyebrow.</p><p>“…Don’t leave them alone with the cultists for even a second,” he advised, in an undertone.</p><p>“Don’t I know it,” Napoleon murmured back.  He knew he was taking a risk having them in the interrogation room itself, but he was banking on the fact that the cultists would speak as soon as they realized they were dealing with angry family members—and on the fact that he was younger and stronger than these two older gentlemen, should, Heaven forbid, he would need to intervene.</p><p>“And try not to be alone at all yourself,” Illya added.  “You don’t need <i>him</i> showing up to taunt you about our setback—and you know he will.”</p><p>Napoleon’s expression went grim; in his concern for the children, he had forgotten about Zero’s threat to complicate the rescue.  Perhaps this setback was directly because of Zero’s interference—that would make him eager to confront him the first chance he got to try to get Napoleon to surrender his soul.</p><p>“…Try not to be too long with that phone call, hmm?” he asked, after a moment.</p><p>Illya nodded.</p><p>“Leave the channel open,” Illya instructed.  </p><p>“Right,” Napoleon agreed.</p><p>And with that, Illya went on his way—though with a definite reluctance at leaving him behind.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Act O: Three Titans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Illya was grateful for technology—that a little communication device the size and shape of a pen allowed him to be there for his partner in some capacity while he carried on with his part of the mission.  Ordinarily, he would trust Napoleon to take care of himself—but this was far from a normal situation.  It had failed to be normal ever since Napoleon had said that the Devil had addressed him—and it had only gotten stranger from there.</p><p>Indeed, Illya wasn’t sure he could ever admit to himself that the man pursuing Napoleon was the Devil, but that did not stop him from getting protective over his partner.  He knew Napoleon was no fool to sign over his soul out of greed for any glory or material spoils—as he had so frequently stated, he had everything he needed, despite how he presented himself as a bon vivant jetsetter.</p><p>That would account for why “Mr. Zero” had chosen to appeal to Napoleon’s selfless nature instead—dangling the fates of those innocent children in front of him, banking on him to take the deal to ensure their safety.  He had tried it last time, too—when Stingy Jack had been causing trouble and it had been clear that there was nothing else Napoleon desired for himself, Zero had then offered to banish Stingy Jack in exchange for Napoleon’s soul.</p><p>As Illya drove in search of a call box in the car that he had taken to Stonehenge the night before, his fingers gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter than he had intended.  Finally, he found a call box and placed a call to the nearest observatory, and they had given him the exact time of the solstice he had wanted—8:42 PM on the 21st.</p><p>Illya thanked the scientist and, as he drove back to the outpost, returned his thoughts back to Napoleon’s predicament.  It wasn’t fair, assuming it was all real.  Either Napoleon would have to surrender his soul or live with guilt for not being able to save innocents?</p><p>Illya exhaled, listening to the chatter over the open channel; Napoleon had gotten the two cultists to talk by revealing just who Waverly and Marton were—the prisoners weren’t fools and confirmed what Illya had just found out at the observatory, that the ritual would occur just after sunset on the 21st.</p><p>“The children won’t be harmed,” one of the cultists promised.  “They just need to wield the three spheres that will summon forth the three Titan Birds of Galar.”</p><p>There was that Galar again, just as the professor’s research had mentioned.</p><p>“Is Galar really another England?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“We have reason to believe it is,” the other cultist said.  “But all our group wants is to summon the Galarian Birds.  It was part of a prophecy we heard.”</p><p>“We didn’t hear the whole thing,” the first cultist added.  “All we got was a fragment of it through the portal—<i>‘Disturb not the harmony of Fire, Ice, and Lightning, lest these titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash.’</i>”</p><p>“Titans?  Destruction?” Napoleon repeated.  “Exactly how dangerous are these birds—and <i>why</i> do your colleagues think it’s a good idea to try to bring them to England from Galar?”</p><p>“If we have the spheres, we should be able to control them—but to get them here, we need the ones chosen by the titans—the children.”</p><p>“I refuse to allow Della to be a party to this!” Marton insisted.  “You mean to tell me they will use her to bring a phoenix from this… this ‘Galar’ to here?  <i>Non</i>, I will not allow it!  The beast could harm her!  Alex, you are agreed?”</p><p>“I certainly don’t want my granddaughter anywhere near a titanic bird,” Waverly agreed.</p><p>“What’s more, there’s no reason to suggest that the birds will listen to anyone except the kids,” Napoleon said.  “If that happens, then they’ll have no intentions of returning them to us; they’ll keep them to control the birds.”</p><p>“So we were lied to,” Illya added, over the channel, as he pulled up to the outpost.  “We cannot have the children so close to danger, Napoleon.  We don’t even know if utilizing those spheres for the ritual will harm them in any way.”</p><p>“Right…  And maybe we won’t have to let the ritual take place,” Napoleon said.  “Remember our original plan—to try to use the Professor’s wormhole device to bring those elements earlier?  I think we should go back to that plan—it might be the only chance we’ve got.”</p><p>Illya made his way through the hallways and into the interrogation room as Napoleon spoke.</p><p><i>Everything alright?</i> he silently transmitted.</p><p>Napoleon responded with a nod.</p><p>They had a day and a half to come up with a plan—and hopefully, this one wouldn’t fail.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Act P: Calm Before the Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The best plan seemed to be merely lying in wait at Stonehenge once again now that they knew the time—they would have to make preparations and hide well in advance, for the cultists were sure to keep an eye on the site now.  Fortunately, there was enough time to allow them to prepare.</p><p>“I need to master the use of this device by then,” Illya said.  “But I can’t attempt any practical demonstrations until the actual moment of truth, as it were.  If I bring these birds early, it could ruin our chances of seeing the children again.  I shall have to depend entirely on the professor’s notes.”</p><p>“You really think they won’t alter their plans after our interference?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“I am certain of it,” Illya replied.  “If they believe that they must perform a ritual at a certain time and place, then they will do it.”</p><p>“…I guess that makes sense,” Napoleon admitted.  He sat down at the table beside Illya as the blond continued to look over the notes.</p><p>“What a mission this has turned out to be…” he mumbled.</p><p>“…How is Mr. Waverly holding up?” Illya asked.</p><p>“…I’d better go check,” Napoleon said, realizing that he wasn’t sure.</p><p>“Keep the channel open,” Illya reminded him.</p><p>“Inside the building?  Illya, I’m sure--”</p><p>“Take no chances,” Illya insisted.  “If he is who you believe he is, locked doors will mean nothing to him.”</p><p>He had to concede that Illya had a point, and he opened the channel on his communicator and headed for the nerve center of the outpost.</p><p>Marton and Waverly were in a fervent, but quiet conversation; there was none of Waverly’s usual gruffness or Marton’s usual sass—they were both subdued, and both… sincere.  Napoleon realized that he was looking into a temporary window as to the way things had used to be between the two, the two of them trying to keep each other’s morale up in the face of such uncertainty, with so much at stake—so much on a personal level…</p><p>Napoleon was reminded of himself and Illya—there had been times they’d had to pull each other back up on their feet at an emotional level.  Their line of work was not an easy one—and more than once, they had felt the tremendous weight on their shoulders, and, more than once, they had needed each other’s assistance to keep going.</p><p>“They’re as well as can be expected,” Napoleon said, for Illya’s benefit.  “You were right, by the way.”</p><p>“About Marton?”</p><p>“Mm-hmm.  I’m beginning to understand why Mr. Waverly and he still do favors for each other.  They really had something back then like we do now.”</p><p>“Only we won’t lose it.”</p><p>“Roger that,” Napoleon agreed.  “Hey, are you hungry?”</p><p>“Do you need to ask?”</p><p>“Silly me.  I’ll get you a snack.”</p><p>The vending machine was a few yards down the hall; Napoleon got several snacks for him and his partner to share and walked past the nerve center once more.</p><p>Illya would always say that he, Napoleon, was the one best suited for morale-boosting speeches.  How ironic, then, that Victor Marton was the one best suited for it this time.</p><p>There was a lot about the enigmatic THRUSH executive that Napoleon didn’t know—and likely never would.  And yet, he shared so much in common with him.</p><p>Napoleon shrugged the thought aside and headed back to his partner.  Like Marton with Waverly, Napoleon knew his place was by his partner’s side.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Act Q: The Die is Cast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Napoleon provided moral support as Illya continued to read—it was all he could do, considering he was utterly unfamiliar with the subject material.  Wormholes and tesseracts and the Theory of Relativity…  Illya had managed to explain Einstein’s theory the other day, but trying to manipulate things to make wormholes appear seemed so delicate, and Napoleon had to wonder how his partner was able to keep calm at the prospect of dealing with it.</p><p>“Aren’t you nervous—even a little bit?” Napoleon asked.  “This isn’t like an explosives defusal—I can, at least, help you with that.  I wouldn’t even know where to start with something like this.”</p><p>Illya sighed quietly.</p><p>“Naturally.  Even with my background in quantum physics and understanding the theory of it, this is my first time at a practical demonstration.  I need to trust my knowledge more than anything to get us through this.”</p><p>“For what it’s worth, I trust your knowledge,” Napoleon promised.  “If there’s one person who can figure this out, it’s you.”</p><p>Illya managed a wan smile.</p><p>“It is worth a lot to me,” he assured him.  “I know I would be far more anxious in this quest of mine if not for you—”</p><p>A cloud of smoke nearby cut him off as “Mr. Zero” now reappeared in the conference room where Illya had been studying.  Illya regarded him with alarm for a moment before standing in front of Napoleon, glaring defiantly at him.</p><p>“Interesting,” Zero said.  “You aren’t fully convinced of my existence, and yet you leap to the defense of Solo here?”</p><p>“I leap to the defense of Napoleon no matter the threat,” Illya returned.  “Whoever or whatever you are, it makes no difference to me.”</p><p>Zero scoffed.</p><p>“I’m not here to talk to you; I’m here to talk to Solo—but since you refuse to give us a moment alone, I had to resort to this.  Now keep your mouth shut.”</p><p>“You have no right to tell him—or me—to do anything!” Napoleon shot back.  “What are you doing here, anyway?”</p><p>“Merely to deliver a warning—your efforts are futile,” Zero said.  “The cultists have no idea that I have dispatched a creature to Galar that, as we speak, should be corrupting the Three Titans with a dark influence.  If either they or you attempt to open the wormholes or portals or whatever you wish to call them, you will be releasing Titans that are far more malevolent than what they would have been.  No matter who succeeds in their quest, it will be a nasty shock indeed.”</p><p>“And how do we know if we can believe you?” Napoleon asked.  “Everything about you is built on lies and deceit.”</p><p>“Well, you’ll just have to find out, then, won’t you?” Zero sneered.  “And maybe after your quest fails horribly, you will concede to surrendering your soul to save those three children.”</p><p>“How <i>dare</i> you use Napoleon’s selflessness against him!?” Illya shot back.  “You try to use his virtue as a way to condemn him!?”</p><p>“It’s what I do.  And if you have the foolishness to think you can stop me, then you are more than willing to try.”</p><p>“<i>Da</i>.  I will,” Illya vowed.</p><p>Zero scowled and vanished, leaving the two partners behind.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Act R: Night of the Solstice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zero’s warning had left the partners wondering what to do—had it all been a bluff to stop them from even trying, or had he really set up some sort of failsafe involving these allegedly “titanic” birds?</p><p>“We need to proceed as originally planned, for the sake of the children,” Napoleon decided, after giving it much thought.  “If we can distract them long enough to rescue them before those birds appear, then it’s a job well-done.”</p><p>“And if the birds still appear?” Illya asked.</p><p>Napoleon sighed.</p><p>“We’ll just have to hope they’ll be manageable.  How big is a titanic bird supposed to be?”</p><p>“…I have no frame of reference with which to answer that question, Napoleon.”</p><p>“Yeah, me neither,” Napoleon sighed.</p><p>Nevertheless, they proceeded on—they headed to Stonehenge to lie in wait, and they weren’t really surprised when Waverly and Marton requested to join them.  After a brief debate, they agreed—logistically, they decided, if they did succeed in getting the children away from the cultists, allowing Waverly and Marton to get them to safety while Napoleon and Illya fought back against the cult seemed like the best way to go.</p><p>They waited in the shadows as the sun began to descend.</p><p>“Are you certain they will arrive here with the children?” Waverly asked.  “Surely they know that we will be having the place under surveillance.”</p><p>“With at least one of us having far less scruples than the rest of them,” Marton added, darkly.</p><p>“It is as I told Napoleon—if they believe it that strongly, then yes, they will be here to complete their ritual,” Illya said.</p><p>“As for the surveillance, they have three hostages to bargain their way in and out of anything,” Napoleon said, bitterly.  “It’s practically a stalemate—they know we won’t attack with the kids in the way, and they know that if they harm them, we will end them.  But what they <i>don’t</i> know is that Illya will be using the professor’s portal device.  Everything hinges on us having the element of surprise.”</p><p>“Then you do what you must—free the children, and then leave me to deal with the <i>cochons</i> myself,” Marton insisted.</p><p>“Victor,” Waverly said.  “Would it not be wiser for us to ensure the children make it to safety and let Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin handle the rest?”</p><p>Marton conceded this, but merely grunted in reply.</p><p>“Thank you for that stirring vote of confidence,” Napoleon intoned.  “Now if we can just…”  He trailed off as his communicator whistled, and he quickly answered the call.  “Solo here.”</p><p>“They’re on the move, Mr. Solo—heading for Stonehenge.  Surveillance spotted them on the road in cars.”</p><p>“Are the children with them?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“Yes; their condition can be described as physically fine but with considerable mental apprehension.”</p><p>Napoleon exhaled; of course, they’d be scared, no matter how brave they’d try to be.</p><p>“Anything else we should know about?”</p><p>“…The other cars are carrying a weird assortment of things,” the agent said.  “Wooden platforms, discarded altar cloths, and more candles than I’ve ever seen in one place in my entire life.”</p><p>“…They’re planning for a ritual, alright,” Napoleon said.  “Alright, instruct all agents not to come out of hiding until the children are away from the cultists.  I repeat—no one other than myself or Illya is to do anything until all three children are safe.  Am I understood?”</p><p>“Understood, Mr. Solo.”</p><p>“Good.  Stay vigilant.”</p><p>Napoleon then closed the channel and exhaled.  There was so much riding on this—so much that they could not afford to lose.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Act S: The Best-Laid Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was agonizing, sitting there and waiting—and watching as the cultists arrived, dragging the children with them.  Blanche, logically-driven like her grandfather, was going along quietly, while Della was being far more belligerent; Spark was confused, trying to figure out which of the other two’s reactions were worth emulating.  All three of the children were holding those crystal spheres again, which seemed to be glowing even more brightly than they were before.</p><p>“Alright Illya, if you’re going to work your ‘magic spell,’ now’s the time,” Napoleon said.  He placed a hand on his partner’s shoulder.  “And I hereby channel every ounce of ‘Solo Luck’ I possess to you.”</p><p>Illya nodded, and with a deep breath, began to activate the wormhole device.</p><p>At first, what transpired started off small—the small wormholes, with embers, snowflakes, and static sparks falling from them.  At first, they went unnoticed.  Then, as Illya increased the intensity, larger embers, clumps of snow, and bolts began to issue from the wormholes, which were increasing in size—and finally got the attention of the cultists, who stared, open-mouthed.</p><p>“But we haven’t held the ritual yet…!” one of them protested.  “How were the Titans called?”</p><p>Blanche and Della saw their chance; instinctively, they snuck away from the cultists, pausing as they saw that Spark wasn’t with them—also having gotten distracted.  Blanche facepalmed, and Della ripped a clod of dirt from the ground and threw it at him—that got his attention, and he quickly followed the girls.</p><p>Napoleon briefly left Illya’s side and stepped out of the shadows long enough for the trio to see him as he waved them over.  They did so—Blanche and Della into the arms of their worried family members.</p><p>“You three okay?” Napoleon asked Spark.</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Spark said.  “After they zapped us back, they yelled at us for a bit—and then they told the girls that if they tried to escape again, they’d kill their grandfathers.  They couldn’t pull that on me, but they knew that the girls would stop me from trying anything.  So we did what they told us to do—though Della kept yelling at them in French.  I dunno what she said, but—”</p><p>“That doesn’t matter now,” Napoleon said.  He cast a glance at Illya, who was struggling to control the wormholes before turning back to Waverly.  “Sir?  You need to take the kids back to the outpost.”</p><p>“Yes, of course,” Waverly replied.  “Victor, we must go.”</p><p>Marton looked back at Napoleon and gave him the briefest nod of thanks before following Waverly back to the car—Spark going with them.</p><p>“Excellent,” Napoleon sighed.  “Illya, you can turn it off now!”</p><p>“Not a moment too soon,” the Russian agreed, and switched off the device.</p><p>To their dismay, however, the wormholes did not disappear; if anything, they continued to grow.  Napoleon, who had been giving the order for the hidden U.N.C.L.E. agents to move in, looked up in concern.</p><p>“…What happened!?”</p><p>“<i>Bozhe moi</i>, some sort of feedback loop has been initiated!” Illya exclaimed, now turning the device on again.</p><p>“…I understood absolutely <i>nothing</i>.”</p><p>“I was afraid of this—the wormholes were allowed to grow large enough that they don’t need the device to continue expanding!  Something on the Galar side is now allowing them to open.”</p><p>“Can you figure out how to close them!?”</p><p>“<i>Da</i>, I researched how to reverse the process from the professor’s notes, but it will take some time—”</p><p>He was cut off as a bone-chilling shriek issued from each of the wormholes.</p><p>“Illya…?” Napoleon asked, his eyes widening.</p><p>Illya looked up now, freezing to see a curved beak emerge from the ice-filled wormhole; from the other two emerged two other beaks—followed by the rest of the birds’ faces and heads, and then the rest of them as the wormholes expanded enough to allow them entry.  The thunderbird, unable to remain aloft, tumbled to the ground, but quickly stood upon its giant legs, rearing to its full height of just over five feet and emitting another chilling call, which was answered by the two other birds—the phoenix and the ice hawk—who were still in the sky, all three of them with an aura that issued darkness.</p><p>The Titans had arrived.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Act T: The Chase</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ground-bound thunderbird now bounded towards them, charging ahead blindly.  Illya, who was frantically trying to reverse the wormhole process, hadn’t looked up to notice it, and Napoleon had to drag him away by the arm, suddenly dragging him to the ground as the giant bird now leaped into the air, clearing the large stone formations of Stonehenge.</p><p>The thunderbird sailed over their heads before landing on a tumulus and calling out—and the ice hawk and the phoenix gracefully soared over them, as well, returning the thunderbird’s call.</p><p>“Mr. Solo?” a voice over the communicator crackled.  “We’re in the process of rounding up the last of the cultists.  We had no resistance, surprisingly enough—I guess because of those… things.  What should we do, Mr. Solo?”</p><p>“Don’t approach the birds,” Napoleon instructed.  “Take the cultists and begin questioning them—see if they know a way to send them back, since they apparently had an idea of how to get them here!  Find out what you can, and let me know if there’s anything pertinent in what they say!”</p><p>“Napoleon, the birds are heading off further!” Illya exclaimed.  “We cannot let them get too far—even if I were to reset the device, they won’t be able to go back into the wormholes if they’re too far away.”</p><p>Napoleon gave him a look and gestured to the fleeing birds.</p><p>“How am I supposed to stop them?  A hundred-pound bag of birdseed?  We have no way of keeping up with them…”</p><p>The words were barely out of his mouth when a car screeched to a halt near them, with Marton at the wheel and Waverly in the passenger seat.</p><p>“Mr. Solo!  Mr. Kuryakin!” Waverly called.  “I pray you have the professor’s notes still with you.”</p><p>“I do, Sir,” Illya said, as he and Napoleon got into the back of the car with the children.  “Do you think they can help?”</p><p>Marton then sped off, after the three birds.</p><p>“Forget, for a moment, about the device, Mr. Kuryakin—we need to stop those birds before they end up encroaching on inhabited areas!” Waverly said.  “See if he had any notes on those creatures, and on how to stop them!”</p><p>“But, Sir, to stop the birds, we’d need to know how to control them,” Napoleon said.  “We’ve crossed the believable realm if you’re talking about those three spheres!”</p><p>“You look at those three and try to convince anyone that we are still in the realm of the believable,” Marton intoned, swerving to dodge a stray thunderbolt.</p><p>“…But if we go by what the cultists were thinking with those spheres, it may be that the kids are the ones who can do it,” Napoleon said.  “I thought you were opposed to having them involved in any way.”</p><p>“I trust them in your hands far more than those of that cult,” Waverly said.  “I’m sure Victor would agree.”</p><p>Marton grunted in agreement, still focused on keeping up with the birds.</p><p>“And the children are alright with this?” Illya asked, glancing at them.</p><p>Blanche nodded.</p><p>“I volunteered,” she said, holding up her glowing blue sphere.</p><p>“<i>Moi aussi</i>,” Della said, looking much more positive about things now that they were back where they belonged.</p><p> “Me three,” Spark added.</p><p>“Well, I think I can say that the future is in good hands,” Napoleon sighed.  “Assuming we can figure out a way to save it.”</p><p>“We will,” Illya said, taking the professor’s notes out again.  “We cannot allow for anything less.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Act U: About-Face</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The mood was solemn as Illya continued to read the professor’s research while Marton did his best to keep up with the three birds.  Napoleon’s gaze shifted from his partner to the three titans they were pursuing; he was trying to keep the worry in his brown eyes at a minimum for fear of alarming the children.  He didn’t want to panic them, and yet, he knew the situation was dire.</p><p>“If the professor’s notes on the spheres is to be believed,” Illya said at last.  “In the right hands, the spheres can calm down the titans—by summoning a fourth bird that will soothe them.”</p><p>Napoleon blinked.</p><p>“Are you saying that after we tried to stop the cult from summoning these three, we’re summoning one ourselves?”</p><p>“That’s what the notes say…”</p><p>“If that is what the notes say, Mr. Kuryakin, I suggest we take that course of action,” Waverly said.  “This is unfamiliar territory, and we need to go with a trusted source!  I trust the research is thorough?”</p><p>“It is.  Papa had been doing a lot of reading ever since he first heard of Galar,” Della said.  “I remember him trying to contact them, asking about the birds when I first got the feather.”  She held up her red feather, and Napoleon noted that the feather was a different shade than of the phoenix that flew ahead.</p><p>“Blanche, Spark, can you show me your feathers, too?”</p><p>They obliged; as with the phoenix, the feathers that Blanche and Spark had received from the ice hawk and the thunderbird were a lighter shade than the darkened birds that they were now dealing with.</p><p><i>Probably Zero’s pet’s influence</i>, he sighed.  <i>But if we have the original feathers, maybe it can serve as some sort of a reminder to their true selves and unravel Zero’s control over the birds.</i></p><p>“You have an idea,” Illya realized, looking at the look on Napoleon’s face.</p><p>“It’s a long shot,” Napoleon admitted.  “But those feathers are from the birds before they were corrupted.  Maybe that’s the key.”</p><p>“You mean use them with the spheres, like this?” Blanche asked.  She placed the blue feather against the blue sphere, and, suddenly, the sphere glowed with an intense light.</p><p>The ice hawk suddenly turned around in mid-flight, now flying towards them, as though looking for the source of the familiar energy it was sensing.  Della followed suit, and the phoenix also turned around in mid-flight.</p><p>Spark, thinking it was his turn next, proceeded to do the same with his feather and sphere—and while the thunderbird did turn around, it was still ground-bound—and charging directly towards them with its large legs powering a fast and formidable stride…</p><p>“<i>Mer…credi</i>…” Marton hissed though gritted teeth.  He slammed on the brakes and sharply turned the wheel, the tires screeching in protest as the car turned around; once oriented in the proper direction, he floored it once more.</p><p>“I think your plan worked too well, Napoleon!” Illya exclaimed.</p><p>“Well, we’re leading them back to Stonehenge, like we needed to,” Napoleon pointed out.</p><p>“But we still need to figure out how to summon that fourth bird and sent them back…” Illya said, and he dropped his voice to a whisper.  “And what if Zero’s beast has corrupted that one, as well…?”</p><p>Napoleon froze.</p><p>They would have to hope that it wasn’t the case.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Act V: Return to Stonehenge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were speeding towards Stonehenge, Illya desperately paging through the Gelardan’s notes as the three birds continued towards Stonehenge.  The ice hawk and the phoenix had pulled ahead in their flight, though still visible, and the thunderbird, determined to keep up, now started leaping into the air, using the gigantic leaps and bounds to cover more ground—but as it did so, it kept getting closer and closer to the fleeing car.</p><p>“<i>Stop the car</i>!” Napoleon yelled.</p><p>Marton slammed on the brakes again; it saved their lives, but not the car—rather than landing directly on the roof of the car, the thunderbird’s foot came down on the hood, its back talon shattering the windshield and coming five inches from Marton’s face.</p><p>“Victor—!” Waverly exclaimed.</p><p>But even as the talon withdrew, Marton’s attention was in the back of the car—</p><p>“Della!?”</p><p>“<i>Je ne suis pas blessé</i>…”</p><p>“We’re all fine,” Napoleon sighed, as Blanche and Spark also reassured that they were unhurt.</p><p>“Thanks to you, Napoleon,” Illya sighed.  “But we must catch up with them—it isn’t much further!”</p><p>“Not in this car,” Marton sighed, indicated the flattened hood.  “And this was a THRUSH-issued vehicle.  <i>C’est dommage</i>…”</p><p>“You must go, Mr. Solo, Mr. Kuryakin—take the children with you if you must,” Waverly instructed.  “Victor, you can go with them; I’ll try to catch up as best as I can.  …I’m no longer built for running, I’m afraid…”</p><p>Marton nodded, and he exited the car with the others, once again carrying Della at her request.  Spark once again ran alongside Illya, and Napoleon now called to Blanche to follow him; she hadn’t moved, staring at her grandfather struggling to get out of the car.</p><p>“Blanche…” Napoleon said, trying to sound as understanding as he could, given.  “We don’t have time.”</p><p>“But…”</p><p>“Go with Mr. Solo, Blanche,” Waverly instructed her.  “Remember what I’ve taught you—needs must, especially when others need your help.”</p><p>She gave a shaky nod and went with Napoleon, clearly struggling with having to leave her grandfather behind.</p><p>“You’re being very brave,” Napoleon assured her, sensing her distress, though she attempted to hide it with her even temperament.  “You’re making him proud.”</p><p>She nodded again.</p><p>“But I don’t know if he’ll be okay…” she said, looking back once more.  “I wish I could’ve seen him more.  But he’s always so busy with work—you and Mr. Kuryakin see him more than I do.”</p><p>Napoleon bit his lip; this was a conversation he was most unprepared for.  What even <i>was</i> there to say in a situation like this?  And Blanche now casting a semi-jealous glance at Marton and Della didn’t help matters…</p><p>“You know, I wish I could help you and solve this problem for you,” he said, after a moment.  “That’s why I started working for your grandfather—I wanted to help people.  But you know what?  This is a problem that I think you have the power to solve.”</p><p>“Me?” she asked.</p><p>“Everything you’ve just told me—have you tried telling your grandfather that?”</p><p>“No,” she admitted.  “I know he likes his work a lot.”</p><p>“He likes his work—but he loves his family.  I think he just needs a little reminder of that.”</p><p>Blanche didn’t reply to this; she was clearly thinking about it, though.</p><p>Up ahead, Illya was calling to them.</p><p>“We’re nearly there!” the Russian was saying.  “We need to get into the right position to try this—we’ve only got once chance!”</p><p>“Then, let’s go!” Napoleon called back.</p><p>He extended a hand to Blanche, which she took, and they ran to catch up with the others, hoping their last chance would end up bearing fruit.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Act W: Zero's Gambit (or, The Curse of Giratina)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The area had been cleared since they’d made their escape—the cultists had been taken into custody, and only a few U.N.C.L.E. agents remained.</p><p>“The three craters,” Illya instructed.  “Where the spheres had landed—that should be where they stand.  Napoleon, stay with Blanche; I’ll take Spark.”  He then glanced at Marton, wordlessly, but Marton nodded without any argument, taking Della to the spot.</p><p>Illya then instructed Spark to hold the sphere and the feather up, together, and Blanche and Della followed suit.</p><p>The three wormholes above Stonehenge now swirled together into one giant one, and before Napoleon could say anything, a melodious sound issued from within the wormhole.  It was an unearthly sound indeed, but it stirred something in Napoleon’s heart to hear it.</p><p>Even the three birds paused now, the two in the air hovering aloft as the thunderbird watched from below, staring intently at the giant wormhole.</p><p>A large, white winged creature, three times larger than the other birds, slowly began to emerge from the giant wormhole, singing.  It seemed like a cross between a bird and a dragon, and moved with a grace and majesty that Napoleon hadn’t expected.  But to his relief, it didn’t seem corrupted or out of control as the other birds.</p><p>The three smaller birds also seemed to calm down at the sight of the larger one, answering the creature’s melodious call with calls of their own.</p><p>The aura of peace and serenity was soon shattered, however, as Napoleon suddenly saw Zero standing on top of one of the stone formations—everyone else was too captivated by the sight of the birds to notice.</p><p>“Illya!  Send them back!  Quickly, before—!”</p><p>But Zero snapped his fingers, and to Napoleon’s horror, a shadowy creature slipped through the wormhole with a centipede-like body, almost the length of the giant dragon-bird, complete with multiple appendages.  But it was transparent, as though a ghost.</p><p>Della screamed, hugging Marton in fright as Blanche gasped, staring in shock; Spark hid behind Illya.</p><p>With another snap of his fingers, Zero commanded the wight to attack the large serene dragon-bird.  The song stopped, replaced by a screech as the wight attacked the creature on the neck.  The wight’s legs encompassed the dragon-bird, and then they were both obscured by shadows as the other three elemental birds screeched in fury and fright.</p><p>When the shadows cleared, the previously white dragon-bird was now dark, surrounded by a shadowy aura—corrupted like the others.</p><p>The wight now pulled away as the dragon-bird screeched in fury, its voice no longer serene and melodious as before.  The wight now sent pulses of shadow and darkness all around, as though trying to corrupt anything else it could.</p><p>“Napoleon!”</p><p>Napoleon snapped out of his stunned horror to take Blanche by the hand and lead her to where Illya and Marton were waiting.</p><p>“What now, Monsieur Kuryakin!?” Marton fumed.</p><p>“I don’t know!” Illya exclaimed, helplessly.  He looked to Napoleon.  <i>This is his doing, isn’t it?  Zero’s?</i></p><p>Napoleon nodded in despair.</p><p>Blanche now cried out as one of the wight’s dark pulses headed in the direction where they had come from.</p><p>“Grandfather!  Grandfather’s back there still!”</p><p>Marton now pointed to the two of them.</p><p>“You two, solve this.  <i>I</i> will find Alex!”</p><p>He moved to put Della back on the ground, but she cried out in protest, and Marton had to pry her arms from around his neck.</p><p>“Della, I will return,” he promised.  He cast a harried glance back at Napoleon and Illya.  “Look after her.”</p><p>And he was gone, leaving Napoleon and Illya glaring once more at Zero, who hadn’t moved.</p><p><i>What will you do now?</i> he silently challenged them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Act X: Face the Beast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Napoleon’s mind was working furiously as the dragon-bird now flew in an erratic pattern as the other birds had been doing—and as the wight continued to send shadowy pulses of energy in all directions.  Napoleon knew what Zero would offer—making all of these creatures disappear in exchange for his soul.</p><p>“Napoleon, don’t even think about it!” Illya said, noting the look in his eyes.  On that stance, he would never budge.</p><p><i>And just how do you intend to stop them without me?</i> Zero asked, his voice taunting the two of them in their heads.  <i>You tried that wormhole device, and you tried those three xenoblast spheres, and still, it was all in vain!  And now, I can give my friend here free reign to do whatever he wants!  …Perhaps I should have him go after your boss and his former partner?  Or will you let them suffer to save your own soul?</i></p><p>Illya glared in fury as Zero snapped his fingers, and the wight now flew off the way they had come.</p><p>“Look!” Spark exclaimed, pointing in that direction.</p><p>Marton was returning with Waverly, helping him along—and the wight’s gaze was fixed upon them.  Zero had not been bluffing.</p><p>“No!” Blanche exclaimed.</p><p>Della was yelling something in French, but neither she nor Blanche noticed their crystal spheres glowing.</p><p>The ice hawk and the phoenix now suddenly pulled another about-face—this time, to attack the wight.  The ice hawk struck the wight with hailstones, while the phoenix spat out a mouthful of black flames at it.  Unprompted, the thunderbird now moved to aid the other two elemental avians, bringing down a powerful thunderbolt from an otherwise clear sky to strike the wight.</p><p>The wight, now moving to defend itself, turned on the birds instead of Waverly and Marton.  The wight was still three times the size of the birds, and as it lashed out with its numerous bug-like legs, it was clear that it was only mildly inconvenienced by the three birds’ attacks, but, at any rate, it allowed Marton and Waverly to escape the monster’s attention and return to where the others were.</p><p>Once Marton and Waverly were safe, Napoleon then approached the large dragon-bird, still corrupted and screeching in fury.  He stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly, drawing the creature’s attention down to him.</p><p>Though intimidated as it stared at him with its corrupted eyes; its screeching had stopped, at any rate, but its glowing eyes were more than a bit intimidating.</p><p>“Napoleon, what are you doing!?” Illya asked.</p><p>“I don’t know!” Napoleon admitted.  “Taking a gamble on every last ounce of Solo Luck I possess, I guess…?”</p><p>He trailed off as he heard a new, unfamiliar voice in his head.</p><p>“<i>You…</i>”</p><p>The voice sounded pained, speaking as though struggling to stay in control of itself.  And Napoleon’s heart skipped a beat as he realized the dragon-bird seemed to be communicating with him telepathically.</p><p>“…<i>You are not… the Chosen One</i>…” the creature declared.</p><p>“I never claimed to be,” Napoleon said.  “Maybe you’re looking for one of those kids—they seem to have been chosen by those other birds.”</p><p>“<i>No.  The Titans have taken a liking to them, but they are not</i>…”  The creature grimaced in pain.  “<i>But if you are not the One, then why… why are you here…?  You sought to use the Three Treasures to summon me to quell the Titans’ wrath…  Why does an ordinary person… seek to intervene…?</i>”</p><p>“…I don’t know how it works where you’re from, but here, ordinary people can be capable of extraordinary things,” Napoleon said.  “I’m just here to help.  That’s all.”  He winced in sympathy at the creature’s obvious pain.  “I’m sorry that… thing got you, too.”</p><p>“<i>It matters not; he must be stopped, and then this pain will subside.  You must reverse the direction of the portal and send him back… before his influence overcomes me and the Titans.  If unchecked, he will unleash his violence upon your world and force the Titans to aid him in his nefarious ends.  You haven’t much time.</i>”</p><p>“I rarely do,” Napoleon sighed, thinking about all the other missions he’d had that had gone down to the wire.  He turned, heading back to Illya and the others, who had been shifting their attention from the battle between Zero’s monster and the birds to Napoleon’s apparent staring match with the dragon-bird.</p><p>“Did it speak to you?” Illya asked, his eyes wide.</p><p>“…In a manner of speaking.”</p><p>Illya exhaled at the pun.</p><p>“But never mind that, Tovarisch; we’ve got one more plan left to try.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Act Y: Reversal of Fortunes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I appreciate that you are not surrendering to Zero just yet,” Illya said.  “But what exactly is our plan?  That wormhole is incredibly unstable; whatever it is we do, it will have to be a last-ditch effort.”</p><p>“That’s what I intend for it to be,” Napoleon said.  “You were talking about reversing the wormhole with the professor’s device?  You need to do that.”</p><p>Illya sighed, and he glanced back at Waverly and Marton.</p><p>“It would be best to get the children to safety, Sir—at least a short distance away,” Illya said to Waverly.  “Should this plan fail, as well, I fear there is no telling what could happen following that.”</p><p>“Very well, Mr. Kuryakin, Mr. Solo—we’ll leave it in your hands,” Waverly said.  “Victor, let’s go.”</p><p>Della once again clung to Marton as they retreated, with Marton glancing once over his shoulder, his expression unreadable.</p><p>“Why did you send them away?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“So that Zero can state his case without bringing the children into this,” Illya replied.</p><p>“Oh, I can still bring the children into this, Mr. Kuryakin,” Zero said.  “If my little pet here is ordered to go after them, then it doesn’t matter where they try to run.  He will find them.  But first, if he overpowers the Titans and their commander, then it means that I can unleash them all upon this world to lay waste to it for years upon years.”</p><p>“And you would do all that—raze the entire world to the ground—just to get my soul?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“When you put it that way… yes,” Zero replied, without a shred of remorse.</p><p>Napoleon stared at the blunt admission, not sure how even to react to that.  The dragon-bird had confirmed that he was ordinary, yet Zero claimed him to be special enough to warrant all of this…</p><p>He shook his head.</p><p>“Illya…?”</p><p>“I’m working on it,” Illya promised, adjusting the dials of the wormhole device.  As he worked, the rotation of the wormhole in the sky stopped.  “I just need a few more minutes, and then I should be able to—”</p><p>Zero snapped his fingers, and thorn-covered tendrils of vines emerged from the ground, wrapping themselves around Illya.  With a cry, he dropped the wormhole device.</p><p>“Illya!?” Napoleon cried.</p><p>He set about trying to move the vines from around his partner, but they did not budge.</p><p>“Forget about me, Napoleon!” Illya instructed.  “You must use the wormhole device I dropped!”</p><p>“Right…” Napoleon said, picking it up from the ground.  “You want me to hand it to you?”</p><p>“No, I won’t be able to see what I’m doing,” Illya winced.  “I need you to do the adjustments.”</p><p>“Oh—<i>what</i>!?  You’re going to trust something <i>that</i> delicate to me!?”</p><p>“I will tell you what to do, Napoleon,” Illya assured him.  “And of course, I trust you—there is nothing in this world that I wouldn’t trust you with.”</p><p>“Trust is one thing—competence is another,” Zero taunted.  “All it takes is one wrong movement, and the wormhole collapses.  Are you willing to gamble your partner’s life, Mr. Solo?”</p><p>“Napoleon, you can’t listen to him!” Illya hissed.  “Of course we gamble our lives all the time—it’s part of our work!  Now turn that leftmost dial a quarter-turn to the right…”</p><p>Napoleon hesitated, but did as Illya instructed.</p><p>“Now move the top-right dial a half-turn to the left.”</p><p>Again, Napoleon did so—with Zero taunting him further.</p><p>“Your hand is shaking,” Zero mused.  “How do you know you haven’t already ruined things?”</p><p>“The world has not fallen apart yet,” Illya shot back at Zero.  “And if it does, it won’t be on account of Napoleon, who tried his hardest to help!  Napoleon, the bottom-left dial needs to be turned three-quarters to the left.”</p><p>Again, Napoleon did as his partner advised, keeping an eye on the wormhole, which still hadn’t resumed swirling.</p><p>“And the central dial gets a full turn—”</p><p>“Which direction?” Napoleon asked, before his blood froze upon realizing that Illya’s reply was now a frantic, muffled call.  “Illya!?”</p><p>Zero had brought one of the thorny vines up to wrap around Illya’s mouth.</p><p>“Looks like you’ll have to guess, won’t you?” Zero taunted.</p><p>Napoleon now moved to try to remove the vine, but it would not budge, and, suddenly, there was a screech from the dragon-bird.</p><p>“<i>The dark influence is getting to be too much…  We won’t be able to resist for much longer</i>…” it transmitted.</p><p>“There’s no time…” Napoleon realized.  “But I can’t make a mistake.  Illya, I can’t do this without you!”</p><p>Illya stared back into Napoleon’s eyes, and then, to Napoleon’s surprise, he began to blink in a pattern—a short blink, a long blink, and then two short blinks.  Illya repeated the blink pattern until Napoleon’s eyes widened.  <i>Morse code</i>.</p><p>“‘L’—for left!?”</p><p>Illya exhaled in relief, and Napoleon turned the final dial a full turn to the left.</p><p>And the wormhole in the sky reopened, swirling in the opposite direction.</p><p>“<i>No</i>!” Zero fumed.</p><p>The dragon-bird now breathed a beam of energy at the wight as the other birds also aimed their elemental attacks at it, sending the creature back into the wormhole.</p><p>Napoleon cast a satisfied glance at Zero as he now moved to cut Illya free from the vines.</p><p>“Looks like I didn’t need your help after all,” he said.</p><p>“This isn’t over, Solo,” Zero warned.</p><p>“Probably not.  But it is for now,” Napoleon retorted, firing a tranquilizer at Zero.</p><p>He knew it was useless, but it did get Zero to snap his fingers and retreat back to his infernal domain.</p><p>Illya breathed a sigh of relief as he was finally freed from the vines.</p><p>“Tovarisch, I owe you, yet again,” Napoleon sighed, drawing him into an embrace.  “What’s my tab now?”</p><p>“Never any debts between us, Napoleon,” Illya reminded him, returning the embrace.  “You know I’ve told you that before.  I, for one, am just relieved that I could help you before Zero attempted to extract your soul as payment.”</p><p>Napoleon just managed a weary smile as he and Illya now glanced up at the three Titans and the dragon-bird.</p><p>“What happens now?” Napoleon asked.</p><p>“<i>I will take the Titans with me back to Galar—and then we will once again imprison that beast within the Distortion World from where it emerged</i>,” the creature transmitted.  “<i>We shall have to live with our new appearances—but we shall be free, thanks to you</i>.”</p><p>The dragon-bird opened its mouth again and let forth its melodious voice once more, and once again, the three Titan birds seemed enthralled by it, and as the dragon-bird gracefully went through the wormhole, the other three birds followed behind it.</p><p>Napoleon looked to his partner with another smile and handed him the wormhole device, and as Illya closed the wormhole and the night sky returned to normal over Stonehenge, he reflected on just how lucky he was—both to have won against Zero, and to have a partner that had helped him do so.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Act Z: Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Soon—Napoleon wasn’t sure how long it had actually taken, as once the adrenaline had worn off, time seemed to have lost all meaning—they were back in Waverly’s office in New York.  Marton was there with Della, and Blanche and Spark were there, as well.</p><p>“We’ve had our agents in England keeping an eye on things there since we left,” Waverly was saying.  “There have been no other occurrences or anything out of the ordinary at Stonehenge since… that incident ended.”</p><p>“I’m glad to hear that, Sir,” Napoleon sighed.  “The question now is writing the mission report.”</p><p>“Yes…” Waverly mused.  “Well, you and Mr. Kuryakin do your best—I’ll approve it, and then we shall put the matter behind us once and for all.  Although, I feel we shall be dealing with the aftereffects for some time to come.”</p><p>“Naturally, Sir, but we shall recover,” Illya assured him.</p><p>“Oh, I have no doubt about that,” Waverly agreed.  “But I feel some things are going to change around here.  Starting with myself.”</p><p>Illya arched an eyebrow, and Blanche managed a wan smile.</p><p>“Grandfather and I were talking on the flight back,” she explained, and she looked at Napoleon, who smiled and gave an understanding nod.</p><p>“I’m sure that you can understand, Mr. Solo, Mr. Kuryakin…  These recent events have put things into perspective for me,” Waverly added.</p><p>“Ah,” Illya said, understanding.</p><p>“We’ve certainly had our share of those kinds of moments, Sir,” Napoleon added.  “As you aptly said yourself, we are only human.”</p><p>“That, we are,” Waverly said.  “To that end, I think you two should be the first to know that I intend to spend more time with my family.  My career reached its zenith long ago.  I know I am not a young man, and it’s time that I spend my twilight years with those important to me.”</p><p>“…I know I put the idea into Blanche’s head to talk to you about spending more time with her, but I didn’t <i>quite</i> expect that to lead to your retirement, Sir…” Napoleon said.</p><p>“Mr. Solo, this is not a decision I made overnight.  I’d been giving it some thought for a while now.  And you yourself will have some decisions to make in two years’ time once you turn 40 and are no longer eligible for fieldwork.”</p><p>Napoleon sighed; it was something he knew he’d have to plan for—and, more than likely, he’d retire, too.  Sitting behind a desk all day was not something his adventurous spirit could handle.</p><p>“That’s dumb rule, though,” Blanche sniffed.  “If Mr. Solo wants to stay in the field, I think he should.  Look how he handled things at Stonehenge.  If I’m ever in charge of this place, I’m getting rid of that rule.”</p><p>“That’s for you to handle once you make it to that point, Blanche,” Waverly chided.  “You’ve won one victory for now—don’t push it.”</p><p>“…Yes, Grandfather…”</p><p>“Anyway, my retirement shall not be sudden; my departure will be over the course of several months—more than enough time for my successor to adjust before I leave them to their new position,” Waverly added.</p><p>Napoleon exhaled.  He knew he’d be in the running for the job—but it was one he decidedly did not want.</p><p>“And now, there is one last loose end,” Waverly continued.  “Young Spark here.  Fortunately, I’ve pulled some strings, and Agent Willow down in Section VIII has volunteered to foster the boy.”</p><p>“I don’t have to go back to the orphanage!?” Spark asked.</p><p>“That is correct.”</p><p>“Then he’ll be staying in New York!” Blanche realized.  She turned to Della.  “What about you?  Will you be staying here, too?”</p><p>“That matter is why I am here,” Marton now said.  “Alexander, I need someone to look after Della.”</p><p>“<i>Quoi</i>!?” Della exclaimed. “<i>Grand-pére</i>, I want to stay with you!”</p><p>“A life in THRUSH is no life for her—and I cannot easily retire as you can,” Marton continued.</p><p>“Well, THRUSH’s lack of a retirement plan was something I had warned you of when you were first drawn there,” Waverly.  “But this is not the time nor the place for an ‘I told you so.’  And the fact of the matter is, Victor, that Gelardan’s will lists you as Della’s legal guardian.  However… you and I were partners once, many years ago.  Perhaps there is one more thing I can do to help you and your ward—find you both a place to stay, close to my own family, where you will be well-guarded.  I think it would be enjoyable for both Blanche and Della to be neighbors.  However, it would come with one stipulation…”</p><p>“…With you, it always does,” Marton countered, but he was smirking, anyway.  “But I am willing to do anything to ensure Della’s safety and happiness.”</p><p>“Very well,” Waverly said.  “Mr. Solo, Mr. Kuryakin—could the two of you kindly take the children to the cafeteria and let them have their lunch?  Do try to give them something healthy—my son would be most irked if Blanche has cake for a meal.  Victor and I, in the meantime, have much to talk about regarding his new career as a double agent.”</p><p>“<i>New</i> career?” Marton scoffed.  “Alex, you say that as though I haven’t been a double agent all this time!”</p><p>“We’ll let the two of you work that out,” Napoleon said, foreseeing a lot of personal history being discussed between the two of them.  Though he longed to eavesdrop, he knew better than to try.</p><p>The children were soon feasting on their lunch (Blanche slipping fish scraps to Napoleon and Illya’s cat, Baba Yaga).</p><p>Illya was trying to focus on his food, but his mind was elsewhere, and he was clearly distracted.</p><p>“It’s not like you to sit with your plate untouched,” Napoleon pointed out.  “If you wait any longer, Baba Yaga will eat it before you do.”</p><p>“Mm, I was thinking,” Illya sighed.</p><p>“Obviously…”</p><p>“We were able to send those creatures back to Galar, and you got one over on Zero…” Illya went on.  “And yet, it’s true, what Mr. Waverly said—things are changing, drastically.”</p><p>“They are,” Napoleon agreed.  “But, you know—it might be for the better.  Mr. Waverly gets to bow out of a notable career to spend time with his family, and, as he said, it’ll be a gradual departure.  Probably, by the time he’s out the door for good, it’ll be soon time for me to do the same…”</p><p>“And I intend to go with you,” Illya added.</p><p>“I was hoping you would,” Napoleon grinned.  “And we also have Marton—he’ll hopefully be more of a help to us now, and, at any rate, he’s certainly going to have his priorities in order from now on.  Things are changing, Tovarisch… but maybe, this time, they’re changing for the better.”</p><p>Illya considered this and began to eat.</p><p>They could both live with that.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>